Hands On With the $10,800 Vertu Android Phone

So the Vertu Signature Touch is a $10,800 phone. And it's running Android, which Business Insider's Jim Edwards has dubbed the "poor people's operating system." (His words, not ours!)

Unfortunately for wealthy iPhone fans, Apple doesn't let anyone else make iOS hardware (though some find a way around it). But Android is an open source OS, so manufacturers like Vertu can spruce it up with special features and services, including Concierge, Life, and Certainty, and an analog clock that sheens responsively depending on the angle you hold the phone.

Last week, I had a chance to test the Vertu Signature Touch at a private event in New York City. You'd expect a phone like this to have unobtanium-plated innards and unreasonably good specs. But apart from the completely scratch-proof sapphire crystal that protects the 4.7-inch, 473 ppi screen, its 2.3GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, 13-megapixel rear camera, and 64GB of internal memory don't particularly stand out next to comparably normal devices like the Samsung Galaxy S5.

The Signature Touch's design looks a little too busy for my taste, as I prefer ultra-sleek minimalism over unnecessary detailing. But then again, that's a personal preference, and I'm not exactly the target market here. The beautiful materials adorning the Signature Touch, and the fact that it's handmade by a single person in England (whose name is engraved in the phone's SIM compartment door) are one clue as to why this status symbol costs so much. The texture of brushed, polished titanium alloy on the phone's sides feels fuller and more solid than the HTC One (M8)'s aluminum body. The Samsung Galaxy S5, with its plastic faux-chrome border and dimpled faux-leather back, may as well be a crushed, empty plastic water bottle in comparison.

Along with the titanium alloy, you have the option to dress the Signature Touch with calf leather, lizard skin, or alligator skin, which clearly should match your alligator skin shoes, belts, or Rolls-Royce (surely chauffeured by a trained alligator, which isn't too outlandish as, according to Vertu's website, rich people apparently have eagle heads and fly vintage airplanes). Certain finishes come with optional red gold accents, too, but there's no mention of the karat count.

And lest I forget, there's a button made of ruby on the top right side of the phone—which I initially thought was an infrared transmitter, but in fact has the more prestigious job of bringing up Vertu's exclusive services.

Vertu's Life service gives you exclusive access to highbrow events, private clubs, high-profile affairs, and sporting events. To RSVP to such happenings, you notify the personal Concierge Vertu also provides, who can be summoned on a 24-hour basis to assist you with your every request and needs anywhere in the world.

Your Concierge might also try to help if you're having problems with your phone, but he/she may instead lead you to Vertu's Certainty service. It appears to be an upmarket version of Amazon's Mayday feature found on the Kindle tablets and Fire phone, which also assists you with technical support-related queries. Most importantly for VIPs, perhaps, is Vertu's "state-of-the-art" communication encryption from Silent Circle for privacy and security.

For the same reason that someone buys a $10,000 diamond-encrusted watch (that ONLY tells the time), the luxurious materials that deck the Signature Touch make it at least worth some of its asking price to whomever can afford it. The Signature Touch has great hardware specs, but they'll become somewhat outdated in a couple years—a fact that may bother the ultra-wealthy who only accept the best of the best at all times. If you had eight or nine figures in your bank account, you wouldn't want the hoi polloi to have a technically better phone, would you? But you won't find Vertu's services on a Nexus 5, or any other phone for that matter. And whoever can afford the Signature Touch can probably afford to buy the next version when the time comes, too.

At any rate, we've got a review unit on the way, and as soon as it arrives, we'll let you know how it stacks up against smartphones designed for the unwashed masses (including us). For more on outrageously expensive tech and gadgets, check out 10 Luxury Tech Gadgets You'll Want (But Probably Can't Afford) in the slideshow above.

Before becoming PCMag’s Junior Consumer Electronics Analyst, Antonio graduated from Colgate University with a BA in History where he, upon writing his nine millionth essay, never thought he would ever write ever again, especially for a living. After working in PR and sales, Antonio realized his knowledge and passion for technology far exceeded normal levels, and, ironically, writing about it was one of his few outlets. He decided to take a risk and go on his own. He started his blog, TonyVsTech.com, and was freelancing...
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